Distraction in road traffic
In cooperation with the Verkehrsschule Zug, we present various traffic situations under the heading “From the field”. Using practical examples, we explain the correct traffic rules one to one.
Sven Meier, President of the Verkehrsschule Zug, provides information on traffic rules and situations. Do you have any questions or uncertainties? Do not hesitate to contact him and you will receive competent information from a professional in the next issue. Inattention and distraction are one of the most frequent causes of accidents on Swiss roads. For everywhere lurks the temptation, for example, to briefly turn on the navigation device or look at the display, regardless of whether you are travelling by car, motorbike, bicycle or on foot. Clear signs of this in car drivers are, for example, driving too slowly or too fast, unsafe lane keeping, delayed reactions to hazards and signals, and changing lanes without looking at the display or flashing. In retrospect, the person at the steering wheel often does not really know how he or she reached the destination. What are the most frequent causes of distraction? Although it is not generally forbidden to use a hands-free car kit, there is a considerable risk of accidents. Studies have shown that there is little difference in poor response between using a hands-free phone and not using a hands-free car kit. The explanation: the greatest danger when using the phone is not physical distraction, but mental distraction. Other common causes of distraction are
– Distraction by stimuli outside the vehicle (e.g. landscape, advertising etc.)
– Conversations with passengers
– Food and drink
– Smoking
– Operation of vehicle instruments (e.g. navigation device, radio etc.)
– Reaching for a moving object (e.g. bottle)
